Chusetts



T. J. STURTEVANT.

AIR SEPARATOR.

APPLlcATloN msn 11u15, 1919.

T. l. STURTEVANT.

AIR SEPAHATOR.

APPLICATION FILED MAY l5. |919.

1,385,025, Patented July 19, 1921.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

T. J. STURTEVANT.

AIR SEPARATOR.

APPLICATION HLED MAY 15. 1919.

1,385,025. Patented July 19, 1921.

.7111/911 or m L W UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS J. STURTEVANT, OF WELLESLEY. MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO STURTE- VANT MILL COMPANY, 0F BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSA- CHUSETTS.

AIR-SEPARATOR.

Application led May 15,

T o all whom it may con cem Be it known that I, THoM -\s J. STUn'rn- VANT, a, citizen of the United States residing at Wellesley, county of Norfolk, and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Air-separators, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like characters on the drawings representing like parts.

The invention to be hereinafter described relates to separators for grading materials, and more particularly to air separators. One form of air separator comprises inner and outer chambers in communication with each other and having a fan for producing an air current which moves upward in the inner chamber and downward in the outer chamber. The materials to be graded are introduced in the ath of the risin current in the inner c amber, and the llghter particles are carried upward by the rising current over into the outer chamber, while the heavier particles gravitate downward through the rising current in the inner chamber. The lighter particles or lines are conducted from the outer chamber through one discharge passage, and the heavier particles or tailings are conducted from the inner chamber through another discharge paage.

Sometimes it is desirable to classify the materials so that very fine particles will be separated, and sometimes it is desirable to classify the materials so that coarser particles are separated. One of the purposes of the present invention, therefore, is to provide simple and eiiicient means for varying the openings between the inner and outer chambers, so that the strength of the air current produced by the fan will be varied.

In use, certain of the internal parts of the separator become worn. and therefore, it is desirable to have ready access thereto for the purposes of repair or replacement of the parts. Another purpose of the invention, therefore, is to provide a construction whereby the casing or casings inclosing the internal parts may quickly and readily be removed when desired. In the present insta-nce of the invention, the closure for the internal parts comprises an upper casing and a lower casing, the former being superposed on and the latter being arranged to Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 19, 1921.

1919. serial No. 297,291.

depend from a common foundation ring or member, the construction being such that the upper casing may be readily lifted from said ring or member to disclose the parts contained therein.

It is desirable that the inner and outer chambers and the openings affording communication between them shall be obstructed as little as possible, in order that the air current may pass freely therethrough with a maximum grading effect. Another purpose of the invention. therefore, is to provide means for supporting and rotating the air current producing fan and arotary device for distributing the materials to the rising current of air in the inner chamber from beneath said fan and distributing device in a manner such that minimum obstruction is offered to the air currents.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for inclosing the driving mechanism for the fan and rot-ary distributing device so that the working parts of the drivingnnechanism are protected from dust. but are readily accessible when desired for purposes of inspection, replacement and repair.

The materials distributed by the rota-ry distributing device are thrown against a ortion of the casing for the inner chamr with considerable force, and thereby produce a greater degree of wear thereon than on other portions of the casing of the inner chamber. And another purpose of the invention is to provide a strong wear resisting baiiie plate to receive the bombardment of the materials from the rotary distributer, said plate being detachably associated with upper and lower parts of the casing, so that it may be readily removed and a new baffle plate substituted therefor.

Vith the aforesaid and other purposes in view, the character of the inventionl will be best understood by reference to the followinzg description of one goed form thereof shown in the accompanyingr drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a vertical section through the separator shown herein as embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section taken on line 2 2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken on line 3-3 of Fig. l;

Fig. 4 is a. plan of the portion of the machine beneath a horizontal plane cutting the axis of the main driving shaft on line 4 4. of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 on an enlarged scale is a sectional detail of means for securing the rotary distributer device on the upper end of the vertical shaft for rotating the same; and

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5 showing a jack screw substituted for the holding screw shown in Fig. 5, for freeing the rotary distributer device from the vertical shaft.

Referring to the drawings, the separator shown therein as one good form of the invention, comprises a supporting member, in the present instance of the invention, in the form of a ring 1 (Fig. 1) having feet 3 adapted to be secured by bolts 5 to beams 7 or other appropriate supporting means.

Mounted on a flange 9 of the foundation ring is an outer casing 11 for 'the outer chamber 13 and comprises a base ring 15 having an internal flange resting on the foundation ring flange 9 and detachably secured thereto by screw bolts 17. A shell 19, in the present instance of the invention, of cylindrical form has its lower edge riveted to the base ring 15 and its upper edge riveted to a top ring 21. A head 23 is secured by rivets to the top ring 21 and is provided with eyes 25 adapted to be connected to a suitable tackle which may be used for readily lifting the outer casing 11 from the foundation ring when desired.

Within and spaced from the outer casing is an inner casing 27 for the inner chamber 28 and comprising an upper conical shell 29 and a lower conical shell 31. The inner ends of the upper and lower shells may be riveted or otherwise secured to rings 33 connected by through bolts 35. These rings are shouldered to receive a circular baille plate 37 which may be of heavier and stronger material than the upper and lower shells 29 and 31. The construction is such that on release of the through bolts 35, the baile plate 37 may be readily removed and a new one substituted therefor.

Encircling the lower shell 31 is a cylinder 39 having its upper edge riveted or otherwise secured to the lower ring 33, and its lower edge secured to a` ring 41. Projecting from and conveniently integral with the ring 41 are a plurality of feet 43, in the present instance, three being shown having ,sock-ets resting on the upper ends of posts 47 which project downward loosely through sleeves 49 formed on brackets 51 projecting inward from the foundation ring 1. The lower ends of the posts 47 rest on the upper ends of screws 53 threaded in bosses 55 on plates 57 secured to a conical casing 59 which serves as the discharge passage for the finer particles graded as more fully hereinafter described. The upper edge of the conical casing 59 may be riveted or otherwise secured to the foundation ring 1, and the lower end of the conical casing 59 may have a discharge port 61. A ring 63 may be secured to the conical casing adjacent the lower end thereof and may be connected to piping (not shown) for conducting the liner particles to the point desired. The lower ends of the screws 53 may have square heads 65 to facilitate adjustment thereof. The construction is such that on rotation of the screws 53, the post 47 may be raised or lowered in their bosses 49 to elevate or lower the inner casing bodily as desired.

To conduct the tailings from the inner chamber, a mouth, in the present instance, in the form of a cylinder 67 may be provided having its lower edge riveted or otherwise secured to the upstanding flange of a ring 69 secured bv bolts 71 to the inner ends of the brackets 51 referred to. A ring 73 has an outwardly projecting flange interposed between the ring 69 and the brackets and secured thereto by the bolts 71. To the ring 73 is riveted or otherwise secured a conical casing 75 which serves to discharge the tailings to a` spout 77 connected to the lower end of the conical casing 75 and projecting through the wall of the fines discharge casing 59. A ring 79 embraces the lower end of the spout 77 and may be connected to suitable piping (not shown) for conducting the tailings to the `point desired.

The materials to be graded may be introduced into the separator through a hopper 81 having an outwardly projecting flange 83 riveted or otherwise secured to the margin of the head 23 surrounding a central opening therein. Projecting downward from the hopper 81 is a pipe 85 for conducting the materials to the rotary distributer device.

The rotary distributer device1 in the present instance of the invention, comprises a head 87 having av bottom plate 89 and an upstanding rim 91 provided with radial passages 93. An upper ring or distributing plate 95 is mounted on the upper edge of the rim 91 and secured thereto by screw bolts 97, and a lower ring or distributing` plate 99 is mounted on the plate. 89 and secured thereto by bolts 101.

The construction is such that materials flowing downward through the hopper 81 and pipe will strike the plate 89 of the distributer and under the influence of centrifugal force will flow outward through the radial passages 93 and thence outward between the distributer plates 95 and 99 toward the baffle plate 37 referred to.

Suitable means may be provided to support and rotate'the distributer device. To accomplish this, in the present instance of the invention, the head 91 of the distributer device is provided with a hub 103 having a tapered bore fitted on the upper tapered end portion 105 of a vertical shaft 107. To 8ecure said hub to said shaft, a screw bolt 109 (Figs. 1 and 5) may have a head seated in a counterbore in the hub, and a shank entered in a threaded bore 111 in the shaft. The construction is auch that when the screw bolt 109 is tightened, a win draw the hub the 103 down securely to the tapered end of the shaft 107.

The weight of the rotary distributor device will tend to press the hub thereof so tightly onto the conical end of the shaft 107 thatgit ma be difficult to free the hub from said sha To facilitate this, a jack screw 113 (Fig. 6) may be provided having a shank 115 threaded to a tapped hole 117 in said hub larger than the shank of the screw bolt 109 referred to, employed for securing the hub to the shaft. The jack screw has a smooth reduced portion 119 adapted to enter freely through the tapped bore 111 in the shaft, so that its lower end may rest on the bottom of said bore. When it is desired to start the hub up from its shaft, the holding screw bolt 109 is removed and the jack screw is substituted therefor. Rotation of the jack screw will cause the lower end toreact against the bottom of the bore in the shaft, and the threaded shank 115 thereof will ooperate with the portion of the hub threaded thereto to force the hub from the tapered end of the sha-ft. After the hub has been thus separated from the shaft, it may be readily lifted therefrom.

To produce the air currents for the urposes described, a fan may be provide in present instance of the invention, comprising a plurality of vanes 121 having flanges 123 riveted or otherwise secured to a ring plate 125 encircling the hopper 81 referred to, and having its inner edge portion secured by bolts 127 to the outwardly fiaring upper end of a sleeve shaft 129 encircling the pipe 85. The fan and sleeve shaft may conveniently be rotated in unison with the rotary distributer device. To accomplish this, the lower end of the sleeve shaft is provided with an outwardly projecting flange 131 secured by the screw bolts 97 referred to, to the rim 91 of the rotary distributer device.

The construction is such that the rotary distributor device, the sleeve shaft and the fan may be readily assembled and separated; as desired.

To promote efficient operation of the fan and form a part of the honsin therefor, a ring plate 132 (Fig. 1) may Sie provided having its inner edge riveted or otherwise secured to an angle ring 132* riveted or otherwise secured to the upper edge of the shell 29 at the inner casing. The ring plate 132 will share in the bodily adjustment of the inner casing, and, for example, may be moved fmm its position shown in full lines to its position shown in dotted lines when said casing is adjusted, and to other positions as required.

Referring again to the vertical shaft 107 for rotating the distributerdevice and fan, the lower end of this shaft may be mounted in an end thrust bearing 133 carried by the lower part 135 of a Spherical gear casing connected to or integral with brackets 139 (Fig. 4) projecting inward from the ring 73 referred to, mounted on the brackets 51.

The upper portion of the vertical shaft 107 ma be journaled in a bushing 141 mounte in bearings 143 in the upper end of a gear casing 145 having at the lower end thereof a portion 147 formin a part of the spherical gear casing referre to. Brackets 148 may be connected to or be formed integral with the upper part of the gear casing and the ring 73, referred to. The brackets 139 and 148 may be detachably connected by bolts 149.

To prevent ingress of dust to the bearin 143, a hood 150 may be secured to the distributer hub 103 and overlap the upper end portion of the casing 145.

Suitable means may be provided to lubricate the bearings 143. To accomplish this, in the present instance, a pipe 151 may be provided having its upper end entered through the casing 105 and communicating with an oil chamber 153, communicating in turn with the shaft 107 through orts 155 in the bushing for said shaft. he lower end of the ipe 151 projects outward through the conica casing 59 referred to, where it receives an externally accessible grease cup 15 Suitable means may be provided to lubricate the end thrust bearing 133. To accomplish this, in the present instance, a pipe 161 is provided having its inner end entered through said bearin and communicating with the lower end o the vertical shaft 107. The outer end of the pipe 161 projects through the conical casing 59, where it receives a grease cup 163.

To rotate the vertical shaft, in the present instance of the invention, it is provided with a bevel gear 165 fast thereon meshing with a bevel r 167 fast on the inner end of a horizontal riving shaft 169 journaled in a split bearing having a part 171 integral with the lower part of the spherical casing, and a part 173 integral with the upper part of the spherical casing. The parts 171 and 173 of this bearing may be detachably connected by bolts 175 (Fig. 4).

Suitable means may be rovided to lubricate the bearing parts 1 1 and 173. To accomplish this, in the present instance, a pipe 174 is provided having an end projecting through the bearing part 171 to the of this bearing being detachably connectedv by bolts 183 Fig. 4). The bearing parts v may be lubricated by a grease cup 187.

To prevent dust from entering the bearings for the horizontal driving shaft, a sleeve 189 may be placed on said shaft and have ends entered into counterbores in the bearings for said shaft and provided with packings 191. On the outer end of the horizontal driving shaft, a pulley 193 maybe provided adapted to be driven by a belt from any suitable source of power.

In operation, the materials to be graded are introduced into the hopper 81 and flow down through the pipe 85 until they strike the bottom plate 89 of the rotary distributer. The materials pass under the influence of centrifugal force outward through the passages 93 and thence between the distributer plates 95 and 99 toward the baffle plate 37. The rotary fan produces an air circuit including an air current having an upward movement through the inner chamber 28 as indicated by the arrowsin F ig. 1, which meets the outwardly projected materials issuing-from the distributer and carries the lighter particles thereof outward between the vanes of the fan. The air current passes thence downward through the outer chamber 13 in the direction indicated by the ar-V rows, and is drawn inward between the cylindrical mouth 67 and the lower end of the inner chamber and rises thence again in said chamber. The lighter particles flow on downward in the direction indicated by the arrow into the conical discharge casing 59 and issue therefrom through the mouth 61. The heavier particles drop down through the inner chamber, through the cylindrical mouth 67, through the conical discharge casing 75 and thence through the spout 77 and issue from the mouth thereof.

If it is desired that a fine grading effect shall be produced, the lower opening should be reduced and the u per opening between the inner and outer ciambers receiving the fan should be enlarged. To accomplish this, the screws 53 are'adjusted to lower the posts 47 and thereby bodily lower the casing for the inner chamber. This lowering movement of the inner chamber will not only enlarge the opening receiving the fan, but also will reduce the opening between the lower end of the casing for the inner chamber and the upper end of the cylindrical mouth 67. The reduction 0f the latter opening, will reduce the strength of the air current passing therethrough. The fines will not be drawn into the cylindrical mouth 67, since they tend to pass downward close to the shell 19of the outer casing. The enlargement of the upper opening increases the efficiency in separating finer particles since the fan acts on a larger body of air and produces more of a whirl of the air and eddy currents.

When it is desired to produce a classification of coarser grading effect, the screws are adjusted to elevate the posts 47 and the casing for the inner chamber, thereby increasing the size of the lower opening and reduc ing the size of the opening receiving the fan. This draws a stronger current in through the lower opening and up through the inner chamber. This stronger current will carry particles which are heavier than before outward between the vanes of the fan, and they will fall thence downward and be discharged as previously described.

The casing for the inner chamber may be adjusted as desired while the separator 1s in operation, thereby facilitating the proper adjustment thereof to produce the character of classification required. Y

If access is desired to the parts contained within the outer casing, the screw bolts 17 connecting the base ring of the outer casing with the foundation ring may be removed, and the outer casing together with the hopper 81 and pipe 85 may be lifted from the machine by application of suitable tackle to the eyes 25 on the head of the casing.

If it is desired to remove the casing for the inner chamber, the bolts 127 connecting the' fan plate 125 with the sleeve shaft 129 may be removed to allow removal of the fan, and then the casing may be readily lifted upward from the posts 47, since the feet 43 for the inner casing merely rest upon and are not secured to said posts. The distributer plates 95 and 99 are somewhat smaller inY diameter than the diameter of the lower end of the inner casing, and therefore, do not interfere with the removal of the inner casing.

If it is desired to remove the rotary distributer, the sleeve shaft 129 is detached therefrom, thereby allowing ready access to the holding screw 109 for the purpose ofremoving the same from the vertical shaft. Then the jack screw may be applied as describedy to force the hub of the distributer from said shaft. Thereupon, the distributer may readily be lifted from said shaft.

If access be desired t0 the driving mechanism in the spherical casing, the bolts 71, 149, 175 and 183 may be removed, thereby allowing the upper part of the spherical housing and the upper parts of the bearings for the horizontal shaft to be lifted upwardv away from the lower part of the spherical housing and the lower parts of `the bearings for the horizontal shaft. The separation of the parts thus accomplished will admit read access to the bevel gears, the vertical sha t and the horizontal shaft, as desired.

By my invention a separator is provided which is simple and cheap in construction, the parts thereof may be readily separated or removed as desired, and materials may be classified efficiently to separate fines or coarse particles as desired.

It will be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific embodiment shown, but that various deviations may be made therefrom, without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is 1. A separator, comprising, in combination, outer and inner chambers communicating to allow an air circuit therethrough including upward air currents in one and downward air currents in the other, a foundation member for supporting said outer chamber, posts beneath the inner chamber projecting through said foundation member for supporting the said inner chamber, and means longitudinally to adjust said posts to vary the elevation of the inner chamber in the outer chamber.

2. A separator, comprising, in combination, outer and inner casings, a foundation ring supporting said outer casing, brackets projecting inward from said foundation ring, posts slidably mounted in said brackets, feet for said inner casing resting on said posts, and adjusting screws for slid` ing said posts in said brackets to vary the elevation of the inner casing.

3. A separator, comprising in combination, outer and inner casings, a fan for inducing an air circuit through said casings for grading materials, means to introduce the materials into the path of said air circuit, and a support for the lower end of the inner casing independent of the outer casing, the inner casing being removable from said support.

4. A separator, comprising, in combination, outer and inner casings, a fan to induce an air circuit through said casings for grading materials. means to feed the materials to be graded in the path of said air circuit, a foundation member for supporting said outer and inner casings independently of each other, and means detachably to connect the outer casing with said foundation member, that the outer casing may readily be lifted therefrom to disclose the inner casin 5. separator, comprising in combination, outer and inner casings, foundation means supporting said casings, an upright shaft carried by said foundation means and projecting up into the inner casing, a rotary fan to induce an air circuit through said casings for grading materials, means to connect said fan with said upright shaft and means adjacent the lower end of said shaft for rotating the same.

6. A separator, comprising in combination, a casing having separating and collecting chambers therein, foundation means supporting said casing, an upright shaft carried by said foundation means projecting up into said separating chamber and' having a tapered portion, a rotary fan to induce an air circuit through said casings for grading materials, a rotary distributer for delivering the materials into the path of said air circuit and having a tapered portion fitting the tapered portion of said shaft, and a jack screw for cooperation with said distributer and shaft to force the former from the latter.

7. A separator, comprising in combination, foundation means, a casing above and mounted on said foundation means and having separating and collecting chambers therein, discharge casings carried by and depending from said foundation means for receiving materials from said chambers, a gear casing carried by said foundation means and having parts projecting above and beneath the same, an upright shaft jourhaled in bearings in said gear casing, and projecting into the separating chamber, a horizontal shaft journaled in a bearing in said gear casing, gears on said shafts meshing with each other and located in said casing, and a fan and a distributer rotated by said upright shaft, said chamber containing casing and the upper art of said gear casing being removable rom said foundation means.

8. A separator, comprising in combination, outer and inner casings, an upright shaft projecting into said inner casing, a rotary distributer mounted on said shaft, a sleeve shaft mounted on said rotary distributer, a fan carried by said sleeve shaft for inducing an air circuit through said casings, and means to drive said upright sha-ft.

9. A separator. comprising in combination, outer and inner casings, an upright shaft projecting into said inner casing, a rotary distributer mounted on said upright shaft, a sleeve shaft mounted on said rotary distributer, a fan carried by said sleeve shaft, and a feed chute depending from said outer casing through said sleeve .shaft toward the distributer to feed materials thereto.

10. A separator, comprising in combination, outer and inner casings, an upright shaft projecting upward through the lower end of the inner casing into and terminating in the interior thereof, a rotary distributer mounted on said shaft, a sleeve shaft mounted on and projecting above said rotary distributer, a. fan carried by said sleeve shaft, and means detachably to connect said sleeve shaft with said rotary distributer and fan. v

11. A separator, comprising in combination, outer and inner casings, an upright shaft projecting upward into and terminating in said inner casing, a sleeve shaft above and carried by said upright shaft, a fan comprising a ring and vanes secured to said ring, and means detachably to connect said ring with said sleeve shaft.

l2. A separator, comprising in combination, a foundation ring, brackets projecting inward from said ring, an outer casing mounted on and detachable from said foundation ring, posts projecting through said brackets, adjusting screws for said posts, a cylinder having feet resting on said posts, an inner casing carried by said cylin der, an upright shaft carried by said foundation ring and projecting into said innerl casing, a` rotary distributer mounted on said shaft, and a fan rotated by said shaft for inducing` air currents upward past said distributer to grade materials delivered therefrom.

13. An air separator, comprising, in com bination, an outer cylindrical casing of substantial depth, an outer conical casing proi jecting downward therefrom and provided with a fines delivery outlet, an inner casing comprising a cylindrical baille wall portion and conical wall portions projecting above and beneath the cylindrical bailie wall portion, an inner conical casing beneath the innercasing having a tailings delivery outlet, the upper end of the inner casing being spaced somewhat from the upper end of the outer casing, said inner casing containing a separating chamber, and said inner casing being spaced from the outer casing to provide a collecting chamber, means tosupport the inner casing from the outer conical casing, a fan in the space between the upper end of the inner casing and the upper end of the outer casing for causing an air current to move upward in the separating chamber and downward in the collecting chamber, an upright shaft projecting into the separating chamber, a rotary distributer carried by said shaft in opposition to the cylindrical portion of the inner casing, and a feed chute projecting from the upper end of the outer casing toward the distributer for delivering materials to the latter, that they may be thrown outward into the path of the air current rising in the separating chamber.

14. An air separator, comprising an outer cylindrical casing of substantial depth, a conical casing projecting downward from the outer cylindrical casing and provided with a fines discharge outlet, an inner casing having a baile wall and a conical portion projecting upward from the baille wall, said inner casing having a separating chamber therein, and said inner casing beingl spaced from the outer casingto form a collecting chamber between them communicating with the upper and lower ends of the separating chamber, means to support the inner casing independently of the outer cylindrical casing, that said means may not obstruct the collecting chamber, an upright shaft pro- THoMAs J. sTURTEvANT. 

